The Day Off
by Story Writing Guy
Summary: Nicole is asked to take the day off from work, which is very uncommon for her. Without anything else to do, she decides to spend some time with her family, something she doesn't get to do very often. How will it go?
1. A Day at Home

**New Story. ^^ It was getting so long that I decided to split it into two chapters. The next chapter will be out when it's done, but until then, enjoy this one. :)**

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><p><strong>The Day Off<strong>

"Do it again, do it again!" the excited voice of Darwin exclaimed, followed by the sound of several rhythmic slaps. Laughter paraded through the house when they eventually ceased, surprisingly not disturbing the slumber of the enormous rabbit on the couch. In fact, his snoring seemed to complete the whole scene; it served as a repetitive background noise that had become somewhat necessary in their lives. "Come on, one more time!" Darwin requested, still harboring a great deal of enthusiasm.

As the slaps commenced once again Anais could no longer ignore her curiosity and slight annoyance. She hopped down from her chair and exited the kitchen, leaving her half-eaten bowl of cereal to rest on the dining table. "What are you guys doing?" she asked when she stepped into the living room, greeted by the snickering of her brothers as they tried to suppress their laughter.

"Oh nothing, just... this!" Gumball stated dramatically, and then, before Anais knew it, he began hamboning at an amazing rate. Darwin took on a wide smile as he watched his former owner.

"Woo-hoo!" he announced, throwing his fins in the air while he cherished the simple tune his ears were perceiving. Anais, on the other hand, failed to see the beauty in the unusual melody. She stared oddly at her biological brother, not quite sure what to say to him.

"Pretty awesome, huh?" he asked when he finally stopped, crossing his arms and smiling smugly at her.

"Can you teach me the art of hamboning?" Darwin asked him, quickly taking his attention away from his sister.

"Sure, buddy; but I have to warn you, hamboning is a lot harder than it looks," Gumball told him before grinning conceitedly. "Luckily there are masters like me to show newcomers like you how it's done."

"I don't know what I would do without you," the fish said sincerely, making Gumball chuckle while Anais just rolled her eyes.

"Well, can you keep it down? Some of us are trying to have breakfast," she explained as her brothers turned back to her.

"Duh, that's what these are for," her oldest sibling said, pulling out a pair of earmuffs and letting them dangle in front of her. Anais frowned at him for a second but snatched the earmuffs and turned to head back to the kitchen; however, a sudden wail prompted her to stop and face the boys again. They simply glanced around the room with mutual confusion, and then let their eyes return to their sister. "It wasn't us," Gumball informed with a shrug, just before faint arguing acquired their focus. The three of them immediately looked up at the ceiling; the voice seemed to be emitting from above them.

"I think it's coming from upstairs," Darwin realized, causing the trio to hurry up the stairs to see what was going on. Once they were on the second floor it became obvious to them exactly where it was coming from; their parents' room. They were also able to figure out that the voice belonged to their mother, Nicole Watterson, which brought their curiosity to its peak. "Mom sounds really upset," Darwin pointed out with a worried tone.

"Shhh!" Gumball shushed him before slowly approaching the door, which was slightly ajar. His siblings followed closely, remaining as quiet as possible in spite of the increasing suspense. After persuading his hand to firmly grip the knob, Gumball cautiously pushed the door open enough to stealthily stick his head inside. The first thing he saw was the troubled demeanor of his mom as she held her cell phone near her ear, her back to him.

"It's not that I don't like spending time at home," she said into it defensively. There was a short pause before she spoke up again. "Yes, I know I've been working really hard lately but is this really necessary?" Gumball shifted his position slightly to allow Darwin and Anais to peer into the room; soon all three of them were observing their unsuspecting mother. She let out a heavy sigh, drooping a bit and signaling that she had lost the dispute. "I guess you're right," she uttered after a while, followed by another moment of silence. The amount of time it took for her to talk again made the kids feel compelled to believe that whoever she was conversing with was lecturing her. "Alright, I'll see you tomorrow," Nicole finally said, concluding their chat as she ended the call. She then placed a hand on her head, groaning to herself with notable aggravation. She stood like that for a few seconds, possibly contemplating what she was going to do next.

However, when they least expected it, her eyes darted to the children, catching a glimpse of them before they retreated out of sight. Fear was on their faces as they hid behind the door. "Did she see us?" Gumball whispered, though his question was answered when he heard the door open behind him, making them yelp and swirl around to meet the gaze of the tall feline. "We weren't eavesdropping, I swear!" Gumball quickly told her, afraid that he was going to get punished.

"It's alright, sweetie," Nicole assured, not showing any signs of anger or disapproval. "I know I was making quite a racket in here."

"Is everything okay?" Anais asked as curiosity returned to her and her brothers.

"Of course, honey," the caring parent said, resting on one knee and eyeing the kids. "Everything's fine," she promised them, though Darwin was still visibly worried.

"Then how come you sounded so mad earlier?" he questioned, making her internally berate herself for not maintaining a calm tone throughout her telephone conversation.

"Oh I wasn't mad," she quickly said. "I was just alarmed; I just received some unexpected news." The children glanced at one another before looking back at her.

"What news?" Gumball asked with audible hesitation. Despite his mom's relieving words, he was still skeptical about what she was going to tell them; after all, it was possible that they would take it harder than she was. Well, to him anyway.

"Well, it seems my boss at the rainbow factory wants me to take the day off," Nicole explained as an unforeseen morsel of embarrassment pervaded her. "He says I've been working too hard over the past few weeks and that I deserve some time at home," she finished, averting her eyes for a second. Gumball raised an eyebrow at her.

"Isn't that a good thing?" he inquired. Nicole stood to her full height before answering.

"Well yeah, but..." She took a moment to think, choosing her next words carefully. "You see, you kids and your father have lots of ways to spend your free time," she said, fixing her gaze on Gumball and Darwin. "Boys, you have video games and lots of friends to play with." She turned to her daughter. "And Anais, you have your books and television programs. But I don't have as many options as you all do."

"You don't?" Anais asked.

"No, honey, I don't. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't have very many hobbies, so when I'm not working I sometimes don't know what to do with myself," Nicole admitted, her kids staring up at her. They all felt a tad bad for her, but, unlike his siblings, Gumball didn't really see it as his problem. It wasn't that he didn't care about his mother; he loved her very much and had minimal trouble expressing it, but it just wasn't in his nature to be that concerned about his parents' personal problems. In his mind, it was supposed to be the other way around. However, before he could say anything his amphibious brother chimed in.

"Well if you don't have anything else to do, why don't you just hang out with me and Gumball?" he suggested, taking her by surprise.

"What?" Gumball shouted at the fish's idea, facing him with a look of utter disbelief.

"Really?" Nicole said, her eyes wider than usual. She hadn't expected either of the boys to invite her to spend time with them, mostly because kids in their age group often considered associating with their mother in such a way to be lame. In fact, she'd be lying if she said that she didn't feel that way throughout middle school.

"Sure, we'll have loads of fun!" Darwin stated happily before turning to his older sibling for confirmation. "Right, Gumball?"

"Uh," was all the cat could muster as his vision darted between Darwin, who was smiling expectantly at him, and Nicole, who was looking at him with a fragment of hope on her face. He honestly didn't want her to join them in their activities, it seemed strange to him, but there was no way he was just going to say that; not in front of her. Sighing, he eventually decided that it was best to just go with it. "Yeah, loads of fun..." he muttered. Darwin then grabbed his arm and skipped towards the stairs, practically dragging Gumball behind him.

"Come on, Mrs. Mom, let's go play outside!" he called back as they descended. Nicole chuckled.

"Coming!" she replied eagerly, and then turned her attention to Anais. The young rabbit had a slightly concerned look on her face as she eyed her mom.

"Are you sure about this, Mom?" She asked.

"Of course. I've been meaning to spend more time with the boys anyway and this could turn out to be a bonding experience for the three of us," she explained, imagining what things would be like if she and her two sons were closer. Maybe then they'd stop being so reluctant to tell her when they did something wrong.

"Alright, but you should probably take these," Anais said, handing her the earmuffs her brother had given her earlier. "Just in case." She then headed back downstairs to finish her breakfast, leaving Nicole to inspect the sound obscuring product she was given, not sure why she would need it. Once she was done she went downstairs as well and almost immediately noticed the snoring of her sleeping husband. For a while she just observed his unconscious form on the couch, grinning slightly at how content he looked, and then she pulled open the front door and quietly stepped out. Rays of sunshine impacted her skin as she spotted her boys in the yard.

"There you are," Darwin announced cheerily as she approached them with a radiant smile. "So, what do you feel like doing?" he asked her while Gumball just looked at them with a doubtful expression.

"Well, I don't know," she replied after pondering it for a moment. "What do you two usually do on a Saturday morning?" The fish boy thought about it for a while, having more difficulty than the average person would. Fortunately, he was able to produce a suggestion in a short amount of time.

"Oh, I know!" he exclaimed, shifting his focus to Gumball. "Let's play 'You're the President!'"

"It's 'I'm the President,'" his brother said.

"Yeah, you're the president," Darwin stated.

"It's called 'I'm the President,' not 'You're the President.'"

"I know I'm not the president; you are."

"Yeah, I know I am, that's why it's 'I'm the President,'" Gumball tried to explain.

"...That's what I said," Darwin told him, getting confused. The cat just sighed and decided to let it go.

"Whatever, let's just play," he verbalized while Nicole just watched them curiously. Darwin smiled before clearing his throat and taking on a much more serious expression.

"What are your orders, Mr. President, sir?" he asked, his voice deeper than normal as he formally saluted. Gumball cerebrated for a bit, but was interrupted when his stomach released a ferocious growl. At that moment, he realized that he hadn't eaten anything yet, which he actually considered a good thing because it gave him something to make his brother do.

"Did you hear that, soldier?" he questioned, trying his best to sound like a drill sergeant.

"Loud and clear, sir!" Darwin responded.

"Do you know what it means?"

"It means you're hungry, Mr. President!"

"And what are you gonna do about that?" Gumball asked, already knowing what his answer should be.

"I'm gonna... uh..." The fish scratched his head for a moment, looking totally clueless. "What am I gonna do?"

"You're gonna get me something to eat," his sibling said surely, a smile appearing on his face.

"Oh," Darwin uttered, finally understanding. He saluted once again. "Right away, Mr. President!" With that said, he rushed back into the house in search of something edible. Gumball chuckled, relishing the feeling of absolute power, even if it was only pretend. He had completely forgotten his mother was still there; however, she soon made her presence known again.

"What about me, Mr. President?" she asked, trying to play along with their unusual game despite not fathoming the object of it. She had seen them take part in it a few times in the past, but she was always too busy to learn the rules. Her son looked at her, and then, after a slightly awkward moment of thinking, he gave her the only command he could come up with that she wouldn't find bizarre.

"Um... why don't you... go help him?" he instructed, though Darwin returned almost immediately after, his fins carrying a rather sloppy sandwich.

"I brought you a sandwich, Mr. President!" he proclaimed, holding it up for him to see.

"Ah, excellent work, soldier," Gumball praised as he obtained his breakfast, taking a decent bite out of it while his brother just watched. "Not bad," he complimented, giving him a thumbs up.

"Thank you, Mr. President, sir!" Darwin said, saluting for the third time while his pretend president continued to munch his meal. Nicole studied her oldest son for a while, not sure what to say or do. He just proceeded to eat while a wave of silence began to wash over them, causing her to raise an eyebrow and instinctively look at her watch. The quietness lasted for several seconds before she made the conclusion that neither of the boys were going to say anything, so she spoke up.

"Now what happens?" she asked her adopted son, since Gumball's mouth was full. He turned to her with a cheerful smile.

"Now we just watch the president enjoy his sandwich, and after he finishes it he'll give us more orders," he explained, no longer using his gruff voice. Nicole just blinked, finally realizing that the whole point of their game was for Gumball to boss them around. It didn't make much sense to her and she questioned how Darwin could enjoy it so much. From the way it seemed, he never got to be the president.

"Uh, maybe we should do something else, boys," she proposed as Gumball ate the last chunk of his sandwich, making him cease chewing and look up at her with a saddened expression.

"Like what?" Darwin inquired, staring at her and waiting for an answer.

"Well, we could..." Her brain rapidly searched for any options that they would find interesting, but nothing came to her. She had no ideas, but she didn't want to just say that; however, it became obvious to her kids after she went silent for some time. Her fish son decided to help her out.

"How about hide-and-seek?" he suggested, glancing at his brother as he did so.

"Hide-and-seek?" Nicole repeated, her features brightening a little. "I haven't played that since I was little," she said partially to herself as she recalled the times she and Richard took part in a game of hide-and-seek. He was never really good at hiding but they still had lots of fun; it almost made her wish she could be a kid again. Gumball suddenly perked up, looking at his mother before acquiring a small smirk. He stepped towards her, getting in front of Darwin as he spoke with smugness in his words.

"Sure, we can play hide-and-seek," he agreed, though he wasn't finished. "But you have to be it," he added, pointing a finger at Nicole and making her withdraw a bit.

"Me?" she asked with an unintended spurt of shock.

"That's right," Gumball confirmed with a nod. "We'll be the hiders and you'll be the seeker."

"You'll never find us!" Darwin exclaimed to her, certainty in his voice. However, her maternal side had to disagree with him; she didn't think she would have any difficulty locating her own kids. With that in mind, she decided to comply.

"Oh alright, I suppose I can be it," she said to them, anticipating an easy victory.

"Yay! Go team!" the two boys shouted in unison, giving each other a celebratory high five before turning back to her. "Now just close your eyes and count to a hundred and then start looking for us," Gumball told her as he departed to find a place to hide.

"And no peeking," Darwin added, following his brother. Nicole could only chuckle at her children's behavior.

"Good luck, boys," she called out, smiling at them for a second. Then she gingerly placed her paws over her eyes, pausing when a small sense of nostalgia arose within her. She almost expected to hear the shuffling of Richard trying to conceal himself, prompting her lips to curl into grin. "One, two, three," she started counting, her thoughts continuing as she did so.

She considered what she was going to do after she found her kids, since pretty much all of the chores around the house were completed. Nicole had stayed up for hours the previous night to get them all done, which she was starting to regret. If she had known she was going to be home the next day she would've saved some of the chores for said day.

_Wait, did I remember to do the laundry? _she thought to herself, her exterior remaining exactly the same as she continued to count. _...Yes, I did, _she concluded with slight disappointment, though it was soon replaced by shame. She had an entire day to relax and have fun with her kids and husband and she was busy worrying about work. In that instant, she decided that for the rest of the day her family would be her main focus; she would spend as much time with them as possible before tomorrow arrived. _Yeah, that's what I'll do._

"Ninety-seven, ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one hundred," she finished, lowering her hands and exposing her eyes as they immediately glanced around for her two boys. They were nowhere in sight, which didn't surprise her. She began to wonder if they were any better at hiding than their father was; maybe finding them would actually be somewhat of a challenge. However, that possibility was quickly declined when she turned her head and spotted one of Darwin's legs sticking out from under the family car.

Nicole suppressed a giggle, figuring that he, and probably Gumball, had crawled underneath it as a method of camouflage. She cautiously approached the vehicle, grass crumbling beneath her feet with each step. She knew her kids had to be watching her from their hiding spot, praying that she would stop and head elsewhere to look for them. A smile dominated her face as she reached the automobile, though all she did was turn away and firmly place her hands against her hips.

"Hmm, I wonder where they could've gone," she said aloud, teasing them with the obvious deception in her words. "Oh, could they be under the car?" Swiftly, she spun around and kneeled to peer under it at Gumball and Darwin, but received a major shock. Neither of them were there; the space was completely empty. "Huh?" she nearly shouted, unable to believe what she wasn't seeing. She just stared for a few seconds, and then stood up with confusion coursing through her veins. She could've sworn she saw Darwin under the car. Looking at it for a while, Nicole soon decided that she must've been wrong.

A surge of determination then enveloped her, urging her to keep looking for the boys. She did so, quickly becoming more observant as her competitive side began to surface. She was eager to find them and win the game, though she had no intention of boasting about it afterwards. In fact, she believed the experience would bring them closer as a family. Glancing carefully at her surroundings, Nicole then ventured towards the back yard. She had a lot of searching to do.

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><p>Meanwhile, in an unusually large office, the abstract form of a cloud person could be seen stationed behind a desk. His eyes glazed over with boredom as the sound of active machinery penetrated the walls, creating a vacuous rhythm. In front of him was a massive stack of papers, which he was expected to have sorted and signed by the end of the day, but he had other things on his mind. To his left, sitting at the edge of his desk was a framed image of himself alongside a young cloud girl with obvious resemblance to him. Just as the background indicated, they were at an amusement park, though she didn't seem to be having any fun. She held a small frown while her gaze drifted to the side, unlike his expression, which was one of joy. He had been completely oblivious to her unhappiness on that day; it was only after he saw the picture that he made the realization.<p>

He sighed, shutting his eyes as his stress gradually increased. It was days like this that often made him wish he didn't have such a demanding job. As the owner of Elmore's only rainbow factory, it was his responsibility to regulate all activities. He made all of the decisions and innovations, which actually wasn't as glamorous as he had once believed.

Releasing a barely audible groan, he was caught off-guard when his door abruptly swung open, colliding with the wall with enough force to make a few cracks. "Sir, we've got a serious problem!" yelled one of his employees as he rushed towards his boss. He appeared to be nothing more than a bucket of water with thin, black limbs.

"What is it, Carl?" his employer asked with apparent annoyance.

"Rainbow production has gone down by fifty percent!" The cloud's aggravation was replaced by shock.

"What?" he uttered loudly, his resonant voice causing the liquid in the living container to vibrate. "How is that possible?"

"...Well, sir... maybe it's because you um..." Carl hesitated.

"Come on, out with it!" he demanded, desperate to know what was hindering his business. After a while, the nervous bucket finally cooperated.

"It may be because you gave Nicole the day off; she was our best worker," he blurted out, implying that his boss had made a mistake. The owner of the rainbow factory was silent; he'd completely forgotten that he told her not to come to work earlier, and he was amazed that she was apparently responsible for half of the rainbows they manufactured. He always knew she was fast, but this was incredible.

"I see," was all he said, feeling no regret for his actions. Carl, who wasn't expecting such a short response, just stood awkwardly for a while.

"Maybe you should call her and tell her she needs to come in," he eventually suggested. His boss was quiet, seemingly considering his words. When he hovered slowly from his desk and over to a window situated behind it, it became clear to Carl that he was deep in thought. As he looked out at the world with seriousness in his eyes, he couldn't help but notice a colorful rainbow stretching across the sky. It added a sense of peace and contentment to the city of Elmore, bringing joy to anyone who happened to see it. He smiled to himself, but didn't turn to face his bucket employee.

"Carl, when Nicole first applied to work here I was skeptical about hiring her," he began. "She seemed too fragile for the job, and the fact that she was a mother only gave me more concerns. But she had a sort of determination that I couldn't ignore." He paused for a second, remembering his first encounter with her. It was too peculiar to forget. "I hired her in the end, but I didn't expect much from her. I was sure that at some point the stress of working here would compel her to resign; but, to my surprise, that's where I was wrong. She struggled immensely throughout her first week here; I can't tell you how many dud rainbows she made, but she never gave up. No matter how difficult things became, she refused to quit. I admired her persistence; heck, I still do. And it was that very persistence that allowed her to get where she is today." The cloud finally rotated to look at Carl. "What I'm trying to say is that Nicole has been working extremely hard since day one, and while I'm very proud of her I still think she deserves a break. That's why I asked her to take today off," he finished, heading back to his desk afterwards. Carl didn't say a word; he just stood motionlessly with his head hanging slightly, confusing his boss.

"Huh? What?" he said after a while, shooting up and causing a bit of the water in him to spill. At that moment, the business owner realized that he had fallen asleep during his story. He frowned, feeling insulted.

"Just get back to work," he ordered sternly, wanting to be alone again. Carl knew better than to disobey him, so he nodded in response.

"Yes, sir," he agreed, turning and making his way to the door. However, as he was gripping the knob he stopped when a thought came to him. He glanced back at his employer, hesitant to say what was on his mind, but after a few seconds of persuading himself he decided that it needed to be said. "Sir, maybe someday you should take some time off to be with your daughter. With all the time you spend keeping this place in order, she must really miss you," Carl explained, and then, after giving his words a moment to sink in, he exited the office and closed the door behind him.

The cloud emitted a heavy sigh as soon as he was gone, hunching over and resting his arms on his desk. His eyes soon drifted to the picture to his left and he was urged to lift it up and get a closer look, though he was mostly focused on the girl in it. Guilt plagued him as he inspected the slight frown on her face, which matched the expression she would always greet him with when he arrived home from work. Gently, he began to use his hand to caress the portion of the image that was his offspring, distress showing in his features. _Don't worry, Masami... I'll be home soon, _he thought to himself. _I promise._


	2. TV and Games

**Next Chapter. ...Here you go.**

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><p>The sun had traveled a great distance across the sky, indicating a vast passage of time. The afternoon was approaching, a fact that had contributed to Nicole's recent decision. After a few long hours of unsuccessfully trying to find her kids, she had eventually realized that she had no choice other than to give up. She hated doing so. No, she despised it, but she had looked just about everywhere for them; she had even went as far as to search the entire neighborhood.<p>

As she plodded up the steps and to the entrance of her residence, she couldn't help but worry for her two sons. She knew they were supposed to be hiding, but she couldn't shake the thought that something may have happened to them. For all she knew, they could've gotten lost somewhere, or worse, kidnapped. Nicole quickly shoved those scenarios out of mind, trying to retain her equanimity. They knew not to stray too far away from home, so it was unlikely that they were in any real danger. But it was still possible. She sighed quietly as she opened the door and stepped inside, shutting it behind her and turning with her keys in hand to lock it.

"Hi, Mom," two voices suddenly said, startling her as she twirled around to see Gumball and Darwin sitting comfortably on the couch.

"Boys?" she exclaimed, a little dumbfounded. Their eyes were locked on the television as they watched some sort of cartoon. "But I thought... Have you been inside this whole time?"

"Pretty much," Darwin informed, making her go silent. Back when she was a kid everyone always stayed outside during hide-and-seek, not because it was a rule, but because the game was simply more fun that way.

"We told you we were good at hide-and-seek," Gumball said, his attention not leaving the TV. Nicole just stared at the pair with disbelief on her face, and then took on a stern look as her hands found their way to her hips.

"I spent over three hours trying to find you two; I was getting worried!" she scolded loudly, catching them off-guard and making them give each other a quick glance before turning to look at their mother with visible confusion.

"Why? We were only playing," her oldest son told her defensively while his sibling agreed with a nod.

"I know, but when I wasn't able to find you I started to get concerned. I was afraid that something may have happened to you both," she explained as she advanced towards them, swapping her disapproving expression for one that indicated slight anxiety while still preserving a hint of reprehension.

"Like what?" Darwin asked curiously, not understanding. Nicole was fully aware of the fact that the boys were clueless about most of the dangers of the world, and she had nobody to blame for that but herself. They were in middle school, yet she'd never taught them about the acts of cruelty that plagued society. It was chiefly because she feared what their reaction would be; the last thing she wanted to do was scare them into a state of immense paranoia.

"I thought that maybe you had gotten hurt or lost," she admitted, seriousness in her tone.

"But that would never happen," Gumball chimed in with assurance.

"Yeah, we're always careful," Darwin added, hoping to relieve his mother of her worries.

"Yes and I'm very proud of you both for that, but sometimes things can still happen even if you're careful," she said to them, a bit of sadness showing in her eyes. The two kids didn't say anything, partially because of the guilt they were beginning to feel. They had known that their mom was going to spend a great amount of time searching for them during their game of hide-and-seek, they just didn't think she'd be so upset about it; their dad never was.

"We're sorry for making you worry, Mrs. Mom," Darwin eventually told her, lowering his gaze to the floor just before his brother did the same.

"Yeah, we're sorry," he apologized. Nicole sighed.

"It's alright, boys," she said, causing them to look up at her again with remorseful faces. "Just... please don't scare me like that again, okay?"

"Okay," they both replied with patent depression, followed by quietness that was disrupted only by the senseless chattering of the TV. Detecting the gloomy mood, Nicole decided that it would be best to change the subject. Viewing her surroundings, her focus soon landed on the only source of sound in the room. The rapid images that were being displayed on the television were enough to intrigue her.

"What are you watching?" she asked, breaking the silence. The boys took a moment to cast a glimpse at the fast-paced show. After identifying it, they each managed a smile.

"Explosion Wars; it's the most epic and explosive cartoon in the universe," Gumball clarified, staring at it with amazement.

"It's basically just a compilation of digitally animated explosions all squeezed into a half-hour segment," his fish sibling said as he watched as well, though he didn't seem as excited as his brother did. Nicole eyed the show with uncertainty.

"That sounds... interesting," she verbalized, not sure what else to say. It seemed a little odd to her that they were apparently just watching a bunch of explosions. From what she was witnessing, there wasn't even a plot, or a point for that matter.

"Why don't you watch it with us?" Darwin suddenly suggested, patting the spot on the couch next to him as he looked up at her with sincere, caring eyes. She was taken aback by his offer, never before had either of the boys requested that she watch television with them, and Anais only did occasionally.

"Really? You want me to?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course," Darwin responded confidently, glancing at Gumball and silently advising him to accede. After observing his feline parent's sanguine expression for a while he couldn't help but grin at her, expelling what little urge he had to deny. He couldn't say no to her at that moment.

"Sure, Mom. You can watch it with us," he stated graciously as he and his brother scooted to the side to make room for her. That motion alone was enough to warm her heart, though it was their beaming faces that she found the most exhilarating. Nicole stared gratefully at her kids before she spoke.

"Thanks, boys," was all she said, though it held a sort of tenderness and affection that only a mother could muster. She took a seat next to her adopted son, who simply studied her with dormant enthusiasm. Her loving gaze remained on her children for some time before they all simultaneously shifted their attention to the TV. However, instead of the barrage of detonations they were expecting, all they saw were credits rolling slowly across the screen.

"Aww, what? It's already over?" Gumball whined with incredulity. "Now what are we gonna watch?" He didn't receive an answer as the others began to think. Nicole, who never spent much time watching TV, was unable to come up with anything. She knew that the boys wouldn't be interested in the few programs she actually liked, so she just kept quiet. Darwin, however, managed to bring forth an idea. He stood up on the couch as his lips formed a wide smile.

"I know! Let's watch Severed Passion!" he proposed with excitement, lifting his fins high above his head.

"What? No way! We're not watching that," Gumball hurriedly told him, provoking a look of disappointment from the young fish. Now Nicole was curious, and a bit upset that her biological son was so quick to decline Darwin's suggestion, though she didn't plan on expressing it until she knew what the show was about.

"What's Severed Passion?" she asked them, making her cat child cross his arms and frown.

"It's this boring show about two people who love each other but can't be together," he said, rolling his eyes a bit. His mother, to her surprise, was actually a little amused by her son's vague description the storyline. It sounded enjoyable and she was amazed that Darwin apparently liked it, especially since Gumball didn't; they usually shared the same opinion.

"I don't think it's boring," Darwin muttered, only to be quelled by his brother afterwards.

"Well it is; nothing good ever happens," he retorted, which made Nicole show small signs of irritation.

"Gumball, just because you don't like something doesn't mean it's boring," she chided, and then turned to her other son. "I think watching Severed Passion is a great idea." Almost immediately, his smile returned.

"But Mom," Gumball tried to say as Darwin flopped back down into a sitting position.

"Come on, honey, why don't you just give it a chance? You're more likely to enjoy it if you actually try to," she said, attempting to reason with him. He simply sighed while his brother began using the remote to find the correct channel.

"I already gave it a chance," he mumbled, looking at the TV and deciding that arguing was useless at that point. A few seconds later, Darwin found the show just as it was about to start. He lowered the remote and released a contented sigh, looking quite thrilled as he merrily observed the screen. Nicole gave him a small grin before she, too, started to watch.

* * *

><p>By the time the program was nearing its end Gumball was bored out of his mind. His elbow rested on the couch's armrest while his head was supported by his paw. He had given up on trying to enjoy Severed Passion a long time ago and was now just staring at it with a blank expression, wondering what his brother saw in it. It was so pointless to him, especially the romantic scenes. He always cringed awkwardly whenever he caught sight of one; they were so, as he called them, corny.<p>

However, unlike the preadolescent cat, Darwin and Nicole were captivated by what they were watching. They sat, huddled together as they clasped each other's hands and gazed at the television with teary eyes. Sadness was visible on their faces as they cherished every moment of the episode, ignoring the occasional groans of boredom from Gumball.

"Oh Daniel, I can't believe it's been you this whole time! How could you?" a woman on the show cried, her eyes filled with sheer sorrow. A man then gripped her shoulders with clear gentleness, meeting her woeful stare with an assuring one before speaking in a serious tone.

"Catherine, you don't understand, I did it for you; all of it was so that I could eventually be with you." His words merely made her turn away, despair flowing through her body. Reluctantly, she pulled out of his clutches and took a few steps away, refusing to look at him. Some time passed before her angelic voice was heard again, though it was in the form of a whisper.

"You know that can never happen..." she uttered quietly, almost hoping that he wouldn't perceive it.

Nicole released a sniffle as she continued to watch the heartbreaking program. "Oh, I can't imagine how horrible that must be," she said, suppressing a growing urge to break into sobs.

"I know," Darwin concurred as tears rushed down his cheeks. They clung weakly to the bottom of his chin before gravity sent them plummeting onto the surface of the couch. He was forced to wipe his eyes with the back of his fin, emitting an unintentional whimper that caused his mother to instinctively get him in a comforting embrace. He immediately returned the gesture, tightly folding his arms around her midsection while his focus stayed on the TV. Gumball let out an exaggerated sigh.

"This is so boring," he finally voiced, only to be quickly shushed by his mom and brother as they tried to listen. He gave them a small glare, though when they both failed to notice it he began to feel genuinely offended. Crossing his arms, he looked at the television with a hateful expression, wanting nothing more than for the show to be over so that they could do something he would actually find fun.

After what seemed like hours to him, though it was only about a minute, his wish was granted. The instant the credits appeared on the screen Gumball perked up, standing as an enormous burst of relief occurred within him. "Ugh, finally!" he announced, turning to the others. "Now we can do something else," he said, but then went silent when he saw his sibling.

Darwin was sniveling as he cried quietly into the fabric of Nicole's shirt, his tears visibly dampening it. She just held him, stroking the back of his head softly while letting a tear of her own trickle down her face.

"I can't believe Daniel and Catherine still can't be together." Darwin sobbed as Gumball just stared at him.

"I know, sweetheart," Nicole told him, feeling just as disappointed as he did, though she still tried to be optimistic. "But don't worry, it'll happen eventually if they just stay faithful. I know it will." Her youngest son sniffled before pulling himself from her arms so that he could look up at her.

"Are you sure?" he asked in a depressed tone.

"I'm positive," she assured, giving him a smile to back up her words. Darwin actually felt slightly better now that he knew his mother had hope for the two fictional characters, though he was still a little uncertain. Out of habit, he turned to face his older brother, desiring his opinion and ignoring his impatient stare.

"Do you think so, too, Gumball?" he questioned, his full attention on the cerulean cat. Gumball really didn't care what happened on Severed Passion; in fact, he kind of hoped that Daniel and Catherine wouldn't form a relationship, but that was only out of hatred for the show. However, after seeing how much it meant to Darwin, he decided against giving him his true thoughts. He knew better than anyone else how sensitive the fish could be, even when it came to something as meaningless as television.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," was Gumball's answer, though his tone made it obvious that he barely even considered the question. Despite that, Darwin was able to conjure a small smile as he wiped away the last of his tears.

"Thanks, Gumball," he said with slight happiness in his voice. "I can't wait to see what happens in the next episode."

"Right. So, what do you want to do now?" asked Gumball with hopeful enthusiasm, finally changing the subject. Darwin placed a flipper against his chin as he pondered the possibilities; his mom and his brother merely watched, waiting for him to come up with something. After a notably short passage of time the aquatic child shrugged his shoulders and spoke.

"We could teach Mrs. Mom how to play video games," he suggested. A look of surprise ran across Nicole's features, followed by one filled with uncertainty and doubt.

"Hey, that's a great idea!" Gumball declared with elation, arousing a jubilant grin from his brother. The boys' happy gazes were then directed to their mother. "What do you say, Mom? Want us to teach you?" Nicole hesitated for a short second, casting a glance at the overused game system that belonged to her children. She had never so much as turned it on since it was purchased, let alone tried to understand the complicated functions of its controller; however, she imagined it wasn't that difficult due to the fact that her sons, and even her husband, managed to do so.

"Well, that's nice of you to offer, honey, but video games aren't really my thing," reasoned Nicole.

"So?" Gumball said, his smile temporarily disappearing before he motioned towards his younger sibling. "Video games aren't Darwin's thing either, but he still enjoys them."

"It's true," Darwin attested gleefully.

"Come on, just one game," Gumball impelled. "We'll pick an easy one for you," he persuaded. Nicole still looked a bit unsure.

"I don't know..." she said slowly, debating in her head whether or not she should comply with her children's request. Her gut was telling her to politely refuse and avoid the embarrassment of having her kids witness her pitiful attempt at video games, but once her eyes met their hopeful faces she found it nearly impossible to say no.

"Please?" they both said in unison. Nicole heaved a sigh of submission, shutting her eyes for a brief moment with the least bit of aggravation.

"Oh, alright," she consented with audible reluctance, watching as the expressions of her two sons lit up with excitement.

"Yay!" the pair joyfully exclaimed, raising their arms high above their heads.

"Don't worry, Mom," Gumball assured her, "we'll find the easiest, most winnable game for you to play."

"It'll be a piece of cake," Darwin expressed cheerfully, though it failed to lift Nicole's spirits.

"I hope so," she said ambiguously, once again eyeing the expensive console that consumed a great deal of her sons' time. As she watched them rush over to it and indelicately go through their games in search of the perfect one, Nicole's thoughts briefly shifted to her job. For a short time she wondered how things were going at the rainbow factory; she was sure her absence was having a big effect on the multi-million dollar business, especially due to the rising demands for rainbows. It seemed as though Elmore, along with every town neighboring it, needed at least one every couple of days.

"How about this one?" Gumball proposed, holding up a small rectangular case for his mother to see. As she focused on the plastic casing she was able to make out the title 'Rush Town,' along with a detailed image of a city that seemed to lack any form of conflict.

"Rush Town..." she read aloud, contemplating what the phrase could indicate about the game. "That doesn't sound too hard. Okay, I'll try it." After a quick grin from each of the two boys they turned around to set up the game. Nicole sighed to herself, she was still very uncertain about what she was going to do, but at that point there was no getting out of it.

_Well, they did say they would make it_ easy _for me_, she thought, trying to be optimistic, a trait she had inherited from her mother and passed on to her feline son. It ran in her family for the most part; the only real exception to the genetic trend was her estranged sister. She had always found it difficult to look at the bright side of any situation, and even throughout her childhood she had lacked the perpetual enthusiasm that was typical for most kids. Though Nicole never said it, she was thankful that she was the one to take after their mother.

A small smile was formed by her lips, accompanied by a fragment of appeasing hope as Gumball and Darwin finished setting up the game. "It's ready!" the duo announced, causing Nicole to look up at the television, which was englufed by the Rush Town title screen as a soft melody emitted from the speakers.

"Okay, let's do this," she said with some confidence, watching as Gumball picked up one of the controllers and, on the screen, selected the option labeled 'Campaign.' _Who knows? Maybe I'll do really well, _Nicole thought to herself, her smile growing just a little bit at that possibility.

* * *

><p>"Jump over the car!" rang the excited voice of Gumball.<p>

"Watch out for that fence!" cried Darwin immediately after.

"Turn, turn! Oh, watch out for that brick wall!" Gumball commanded, briefly tearing his eyes from the television to a shocked Nicole. Nervous sweat began to appear on her forehead as her paws rushed to meet the demands of her sons, who were situated right by her, one on each side as they stood on the couch, a habit she wasn't too fond of.

But that was the last thing on her mind; she could only focus on the difficult task of mastering the unusual controller in her hands, though the constant yelling of her children was only making it all the more troublesome. Their advice would have been useful if she actually knew how to do what they were instructing.

Gumball suddenly gasped. "Oh no, it's a cop! Rush him!" he shouted to his mother.

"Hurry, before he catches you! Rush him! Rush him!" Darwin practically screamed, getting Nicole by the shoulders and shaking her in a semi-violent manner.

"But isn't that illegal?" she protested, her attention remaining on the rapidly progressing game.

"Don't worry about that, just rush him!" Gumball told her.

"Uh, what's the rush button again?" she asked, glancing down at her controller.

"It's X!" Gumball said. "X! Or B. Or forward and A. Or if you press Y three times, A once, B two times and pull both triggers you'll do a super combo that ends with a rush." By the end of his explanation a loud crash sounded from the TV, followed by a comedic and somewhat mocking tune playing in the background.

"Game over," declared a hellishly deep voice as those two words appeared on the screen. Nicole could only stare in silence at her apparent failure, partially due to the abruptness of it. One second she was in a frenzy of collateral damage and high-speed altercations, and moments later it was over. Gumball and Darwin merely mimicked her quiet stare, observing the television as if to analyze what had just happened. Gumball was the first to speak.

"You should've rushed him," he said. Darwin nodded in agreement while Nicole just sighed as her final score popped up; she had earned a total of seventy-three points, which wasn't much compared to what the boys could get. Upon seeing their mom's score, the kids turned to her with mutual pity. "No offense, Mom, but you kind of suck at this game," Gumball bluntly told her, causing her to lower her head in disappointment.

"Well, at least you did better than me on my first try," Darwin spoke, attempting to cheer her up a bit. It seemed to work as Nicole fixed her gaze on him, now sporting a look of astonishment.

"Really?" she asked him. His response came with a heartening smile.

"Yep; I did so bad that Gumball said I may have broken the world record for lowest video game score." Gumball chuckled.

"Oh, yeah, I remember that," he said. "You lost like, three seconds after the game started."

"It wasn't my fault, I thought cops were good." Darwin shrugged.

"Not in Rush Town, dude," said Gumball, holding up his index finger as to signal an elucidation. "It's just you and your posse against the town; no one can be trusted, no one is safe. You either stick with a gang or get rushed. It's really awesome." By the time he was finished he was wielding a smile full of wonder, averting his eyes while he recalled the joy brought to him by the game. Nicole then placed her controller at her side.

"Well, I don't want to see you joining any gangs in real life, Gumball," she told him, her tone plainly serious. He simply laughed for a brief moment.

"Mom, why would I join a gang when I have you to protect me?" he asked with a grin.

"Exactly, you don't need one," she said, her voice softening a bit at his understanding. "Being in a gang may make you feel safe and protected, but really they only lead to trouble."

"And besides, you're already in one," Darwin chimed in, earning himself a pair of confused glances. "The Watterson gang," he clarified with a cheerful smile. Gumball chuckled, amused by the idea of his family being considered a gang.

"The Watterson gang?" he questioned humorously, giving his brother an odd look.

"Yes," Nicole spoke up. "We're notorious for our responsible behavior, decency, and good citizenship."

"...Even Dad?" Gumball asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow at her.

"He has his moments," she told him, not missing a beat. Nicole then turned to face the television once again; it was still displaying the low score from her previous game, since no one had touched the controller.

Gumball took notice of her sudden interest in the TV and asked, "Wanna try again?"

"Oh, no, that's okay," she said somewhat quickly, though that didn't stop Darwin from snatching the plastic controller in his fins and effortlessly starting a new game. He and the cat duo watched in silence as the first cutscene appeared on the screen. It was seconds later when Darwin's gaze shifted to his mother, who continued to stare at the TV in slight disbelief.

"Oh, did you say no?" he inquired. A delayed sigh was the only response he got from her.

"Well, since the game's already started," Gumball stated, pulling the controller from Darwin's fins and holding it up for Nicole to take. In all honesty, she really didn't feel like playing again, which came as a surprise to her. She wasn't inclined to give up so easily, but she simply didn't care about video games enough for her persistence and determination to peak. It was actually quite relieving after many years of hard-earned victories for her to not feel impelled to win.

Still, she didn't want to disappoint her kids, so she consented; however, mere moments after she snatched the controller from her son's hand and returned her attention to the TV, a large figure wobbled groggily down the stairs, failing to be noticed by the three on the couch. It was only after a mighty yawn that all eyes shifted to him; he responded with a tired stare, barely able to focus on the scene before him, though even his exhaustion couldn't prevent him from realizing that something wasn't right.

Richard scanned the room with his drowsy eyes, finding nothing out of the ordinary, until he looked at his wife. At first he assumed the object in her hands was nothing more than a bundle of laundry, folded and ready to be placed in its designated location, but upon further inspection he discovered what it really was. He perked up, confusion now evident in his features.

"Nicole playing video games?" he muttered to himself. His lips then curled into an enormous smile. "I must be dreaming! And this must be a fantasy world where everything's perfect!"

Gumball and Darwin exchanged curious glances while Nicole's eyes remained on her husband. "Richard, you're not dreaming," she began to explain. "The kids just wanted me to-" She was interrupted when the obese rabbit seized her hand and pulled her to her feet, the controller dropping to the floor with a quiet thud.

"Come on, honey!" he exclaimed. "Let's go to the land of ice cream and waffles!" With that said, he sprinted towards the door, literally crashing through the wooden barrier as he practically dragged Nicole with him. The boys could only stare, dwelling on the events that had just unfolded. Neither of them were surprised, that sort of behavior was typical of their father, it was who he was.

With nothing else to do, the pair merely shrugged before Gumball went to retrieve his controller from the floor. He then proceeded to play the game while his fish brother watched with great interest.

* * *

><p>Back at the rainbow factory, the distinguished owner was currently plowing through his mountain of paperwork at an excellent pace. He had drank two cups of coffee and did some mental reassuring, and he was now ready to finish his work and make it home at a decent time. At his speed, he estimated he'd be done and allowed to leave at around seven or eight; maybe he'd be home before dark. He relished in his own pride, nothing could stop him; his determination rivaled even Nicole's in his opinion. His will couldn't be broken; signature after signature, he internally celebrated as each paper was tossed neatly onto a second stack, signed and ready to be sent back to its place of origin. He was more than halfway done.<p>

But then there were moments when his rapid progress would come to a sudden halt. His eyes would wander, briefly setting their sights on the picture at the edge of his desk, and then they would turn away. It was in those instances that all motivation to work abandoned him, and he was once again infested with oppressive thoughts. All he could do then was let his gaze fall back on the image, placing his pen down as he welcomed the anguish.

Staring at the photographed expression on his daughter's face, he soon found himself questioning his parenting skills. Of course, he couldn't be blamed for the long hours he spent at the rainbow factory, but as a father he knew there was more he could do to ensure Masami's happiness. Like his fidgety employee had told him, he could take time off and spend it with her. He could even bring her to work with him, anything was better than leaving her at home by herself.

The business owner felt his heart ache as thoughts of the girl's mother suddenly poked into his head. She had been everything to him, and they had dreamed of starting a family since they first fell for each other in high school. She had been his first steady girlfriend; even after graduation their relationship continued through college. After receiving his bachelor's degree the two soon found themselves happily married, and the joy continued many years later when he discovered his beloved wife was pregnant.

Unfortunately, that's where things began to take a turn. A developing company, Rainbow Incorporated, had quickly become an important part of his life, stealing more of his time each month. He had missed the birth of his daughter because of it, which had upset his wife, and himself, greatly. Things only got worse, and it wasn't particularly good news when he made the announcement that he had taken over the business. That was just before it had peaked, and once that happened he rarely had time for his wife and three-year-old daughter.

The cloud figure sighed to himself; that was what had ended his marriage. He had been so busy managing the newly established rainbow factory that his family never saw him. The divorce was sudden, but he knew it was his fault. What had surprised him, however, was that when asked who she wanted to stay with, Masami chose him. His only explanation was that the young girl craved a close relationship with her father, and even now he couldn't seem to give her that. In all honesty, he believed she'd be better off with her mother.

His thoughts were disrupted when the door to his office was pushed open just a bit, and Carl poked his bucket head inside. He didn't say a word.

"What do you want, Carl?" the cloud man asked, stress in his tone. There was a brief silence.

"Just checking up on you, sir," the employee told him, somewhat nervously. His boss wasn't amused, and when he noticed that his small smile disappeared. "Right... I'll get back to work."

The owner of the factory was almost relieved when he heard the door shut. It was ridiculous, he didn't need his employees wasting precious time just to pay him a visit; this was his company, he did the supervising. His slight annoyance vanished, however, when he looked back at the picture on his desk. Immediately his sadness returned, but it wasn't long before Carl's surprise visit gave him an idea. For a while he just considered it, but then he pulled open a drawer to reveal his cell phone sitting alone at the bottom of it.

He had done this before, many times in the past he had called his daughter from work, but it was always the same. After greeting each other and talking for a minute or two, an awkward silence would occur as neither of them knew what to say. Lifting up his phone, he only stared at it and pondered whether or not he should make the call. He certainly wanted to hear from her, there was no doubt about that, but did she feel the same? Her impatient, uninterested voice whenever he called her said otherwise.

After what felt like ages to the businessman he only sighed and placed his phone back in the drawer, closing it. She didn't want to talk to him, and he wasn't going to bother her with a pointless call. And besides, as much as he hated to admit it, he had nothing to say to her either.


End file.
